Advertising device.



R. J. SCHUHMANN.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLlCATlON FILED 050.23. I916.

mw sm Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

2 SHEET$SHEET I.

R. J. SCHUHMANN.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-23. I916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I' IIWI I I INVENTOR.

, its53,537..

RICHARD J. SCHUHMANN, ornoursvlLLn, KENTUCKY, Assrenon or ONE-HALF TOGEORGE-N. BOSLER, OF'LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

To all *whomtt may 60mm Be it linoivn that I, ,RICH-ARD: Sonnet-3r.-\NN, a citizen of United States, and a resident of Louisville iirthecounty of efferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a. new andImproa'ed Advertising Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to advertising devices of the class having'moving elements associated therewith for the purpose of att actingattention, and-more particularly to devices of the character adapted tobe displayed in moving vehicles such as street cars. An object of theinventionis to provide a device of the character mentioned in which themoving element will beactuated intermittently.

A further objeet to provide in a device of the character described,means whereby the actuation of the moving element is con trolled by thevariation in the speed of the vehicle. h g g it-h the foregoing andother objects in view,ith e invention consists of the novel c011 ciplesof my struction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings; which form a part of this specification, where-in is set forthan embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that suchchanges and modifications may beresorted't-o as come within the scope ofthe appended: claims. I

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,and wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts in theseveral views, Figure 1, a front elevation of an advertising card, orsign constructed in accordance ,with the prini invention, parts beingbroken away, to how the construction Fig.2, is an end elevation thereof:Fig. 3,.a sectional per spect-ive of a portion of the coveof a street;car, showingapportion of the card in place therein,the section of theear beingcn line of Fig. 1 2 Fig; a, is a front elevation of anembodiment of the controlling member: Fig.5, is a rear elevation of aportion of the card show n in Fig. 1; a port-ion beingbroken away toshow thej -eonstructionz Fig. 6, a section on line 66 of. Fig. Fig 7, asection on line ofiFig. 1; Fig. 8., a front; elevation of thearmature-bar and connected; gravity pawl Fig. 9, a top plan of the com-Qr; p l hees lm s- 9. Sea-i n detail.

- Specification-of Letters'Patent. application flied December as, 191aes-e a... 138,576.

Patented Lian. is. tale.

Referring now to the drawings, it will seen that the device comprises apanel 11:- formed of suitable material having a degree of flexibility,such as cardboard, to therear face of which a stripof suitable material,

such as wood\-12-- is aliixed. This strip extends thefull length of thepanel in' a. central zone thereof. Chambers --13. ll--- con nected by achannel 15- are formed in this strip, the panel llforniing the frontwall thereof, the rear walls thereof being 5 formed by a back -l6 ofsuitable material,- such as fiber, or cardboard, applied to: said strip.flhehhainber 18, is divided into two compartments -17, 18 bya partition19 which rests in a rabbet 20-. A.

sight opening 21 cut in the panel 11 op-' posite the forward compartment18, is closed by a transparent medium such as celluloid. Pictorialrepresentations of objects, or portions of objects designed'to at.

tract attention are imprinted on the forward side of the partition-1 9,complementaryportions of said objects are imprinted on sepa l ratesections, which are contoured 'in conformity with j the imprint, andiiiovablv mounted on the partition in such manner as to present theappearance of completeness to the object, and when actuated to simulatemovement thereof. As illustrated a portion .23 of the body of a catprinted upon the partition and complementary portions 2'. c. the head -2l and the tail are imprinted upon separate sections which are rigidlymounted on pins} 26 which are extendedthroughthe partition and rigidlysecured to star wheels 27 the star wheels being connected by suitablemeans, such as a wire, or rod 28 in such a manner that they, andthemovable sections of the figure attached thereto will move in unisoneither infthe same or opposite directions. An; electric motor arrangedinthechaniber ll. comprises a permanent magnet 29 positioned in the lowerpart of the chamber an iUlllfitare-bar 30- pivotally suspended from thesinner side of an arch bar, or br'u'lge 'in such manner that its lowerend in close pi oniniity to the poles of the magnetl A tooth wheel -326is mountedon the outerside of the bridge in axial ment with the pivot ofthe armature 1 An L shaped lever, 01" pawl -33 isipivotally attachechbyits shorter limb, to the armaaline ture, with its longer limbextending substantially parallel with the armature, and in suchrelationship to the tooth wheel that a tooth 34, which extends outwardat rightangles'from the lever at a point in proximity to the anglesthereof, may engage between the teeth of the wheel when the lever movesout from the armature. A pin 35 extended from the face of the wheel 32is engaged in. a slot 36 in an overhanging arm 37 of a lever 38 which-isfulcrumed in the lower portion of the chamber. A rod -39 connects thelever 38 with one of the star wheels. It is to be observed that thelever 38 and the arms of the star wheels are provided with a pluralityof perforations whereby connections may be made to vary the amplitude ofthe movement of the movable elements. A commutator or pole changerpositioned in the upper portion of the chamber comprises a sliding plate4l of suitable non-conducting material .such as fiber. On this plate apair of spaced contact blocks 42 are mounted and central between them athird contact block 43 is placed. The contact block 43 is provided withdepending legs 44 be tween which the upper end of the armature bar lies.Suitable contact springs 45, 46- are arranged so that they each makecontact alternately with the blocks 42 and 43, one contacting with thecentral plate 43, while the other contacts with an outer plate 42. Acoil 47 of insulated wire is disposed about the lower end of thearmature bar and the terminal ends thereof, are connected respectively,the lower terminal by a conductor 48, with the contact blocks 42, andthe upper terminal by a conductor 49 with the central block 43.Conductors 51, 52 lead respectively from the contact springs 45 and 46to metallic clips or contacts +53 and 54 afiixed to the lower edge ofthe card or panel. Coiled portions 50 of the conductors 48 and 49 exertstress on the armature bar to bring it to a state of rest in theposition illustrated, ready to start on the closing of an actuatingelectric circuit. Contact plates 55, 56 are arranged in spacedrelationship along a rail 57, the lower one in the cove of a vehiclesuch as a street car, the arrangement being such that the clips on thelower edge of a card will contact therewith when placed in the cove. Thecontact plates 55, 56 are in electrical contact respectively withelectrical conductors 58, 59 which are lead along the rail from asuitable source of current, such as a .battery 60. A controller 61 whichis mounted within a suitable container, or box 62 comprises a freelymovable member such as a pendulum 63 having a heavy weight or bob on itslower end and on its upper end a contact spring 64- which normally liesbetween oppositely disposed contact screws 65, with one of which it isadapted to contact as the pendulum sways in either direction. Thecontact screws 65 are carried by a plate 66 to which the conductor 58leads, conductor 59 leading to thebattery 60, and a conductor 67 fromthe battery to a connection with the pendulum at its pivotal point. Fromthe 'ioregoingdescription it will be seen that whenever the pendulumswings in either direction contact will be made by the spring 64 withone of the screws 65 and the circuit closed, current being given to thearmature coil 47 from the battery through the conductor 59, contactplate 56, contact clip 54, conductor 52, contact spring 46, contactblock 42, and conductor 48; from the armature coil by conductor 49,contact block 43, contact spring 45, conductor 51, clip 53,'contactplate 55, conductor 58 to the contact screw 65 thence through thependulum and conductor 67 to the battery. The armature thus energized isrepelled by the pole of the magnet over which it'lies and attracted bythe opposite pole. As the armature bar moves the upper end thereof,which lies between the depending legs of the block 43,011 the slidingplate 41, shifts said plate and attached contact blocks thus shiftingthe contact of spring 46 from the block 42 to block 9 43 and spring 45,from block 43 to block 42, thereby reversing the direction of thecurrent through the armature coil causing it to move back to its firstposition, this will be repeated as long as the current is closed. Duringthe first described movement of the armature, the long or depending limbof the lever 33, owing to its inertia, will lie against the armature andthe tooth 34 will move free of the wheel 32. As the armature returns,the lever 33, owing to its inertia, will lag behind throwing the tooth34 into engagement with the wheel imparting a partial rotationthereto'as the armature moves over. This motion through the connectionspreviously described, is imparted to the moving elements of the sign.The panel, or sign card, is placed in position in the cove of a car bydropping the lower edge of the card behind the lower rail 57, the clips53, 54 011 the card contacting with the plates 55, 56 on the rail, ,theupper portion of the card is then bent back from the strip 12, and theupper edge slipped behind the upper rail and the card sprung back intoplace. The controller may be placed in any convenient portion of thevehicle, but in such position relative thereto that the pendulum mayswing in the direction of travel. .As long as the vehicle is stationarythe pendulum will maintain its normal, or vertical position, but whenthe vehicle starts up, the inertia of the weight, or bob 7 0, causesit'to lag behind, and the spring 64 closes the circuit on screw 65. Aslong as the speed of the vehicle is accelerating the weight willilagbehind and the circuit will remain closed and the movable elements ofthe sign will be actuated. When the speed of the vehicle becomesconstant, the weight, having acquired the same velocity as the vehicle,will return to its normal position, opening the circuit and thusstopping the moving elements of the sign. When the speed of the car isretarded, as in stopping, the momentum of the weight will carry itforward again causing the spring 64 to close the circuit on screw 65 andstarting the mechanism. As soon as the speed becomes constant, or thevehicle comes to a stop, the pendulum will return to its normalposition, the circuit be opened and the mechanism stopped. It will beobserved that the mechanism is ope Med and the moving ele ments of thesign actuated only when the speed of the vehicle is increasing ordecreasing and that the moving elements of the sign are quiescent whenthe speed is constant or the vehicle at rest.

While the mechanism for the purpose described may in accordance withthis invention, be varied considerably in the matter of detail, withoutdeparture from the essence and spirit of the invention, it is to bepointed out that the arrangement shown is one wherein the number ofnecessary parts are reduced to a minimum and wherein the assemblage maybe quickly and easily performed, and the sign cards readily placed andremoved from their position in the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention so that anyone skilled in the artpertaining thereto, may make and use the same, I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle, sign supporting means, a card sign, amoving element associated therewith, motive means for actuating saidelement, and means for controlling said actuating means, saidcontrolling means adapted to be actuated by variations in the speed ofthe vehicle.

2. In combination with a vehicle, sign supporting means, asign card, amoving elementassociated therewith, means associated with said cardadapted to actuate said element and means for controlling said actuatingmeans, said controlling means adapted to be actuated by acceleration orretardation of the speed of the vehicle.

8. In combination with a vehicle, a sign carried thereby, a movingelement carried by said sign, electrically operated means associatedwith the card and adapted to actuate said element, and means forenergizing said motor controlled by variations in the speed of thevehicle.

4. In combination with a vehicle, a sign carried thereby, a movingelement carried by the sign, electrically operated means car ried by thecard and adapted to actuate said element, means for controlling saidelectrical means, said controlling means adapted to be actuated by theacceleration or retardation of the speed of the vehicle.

5. In combination, a vehicle, a sign card mounted therein, a movableelement carried by said card, electrically operated means carried by thecard for actuating said element and means removed from the card andadapted to energize said actuating means during changes of speed in thevehicle.

6. A sign provided with a thickened zone having a chamber therein, amoving element carried by said card, means mounted in said chamberadapted to actuate said element, and means for controlling saidactuating means, said controlling means adapted to be actuated byvariations in the speed of the vehicle.

7. A sign card, having a thickened central zone provided with aplurality of chambers, a moving element mounted in one of said chambers,an electric motor mounted in an other chamber and adapted to actuatesaid element, contact clips on an edge of said card and circuit wiresleading from the motor to said clips.

8. In combination, a vehicle having a sign supporting rail, contactplates on said rail, circuit wires leading to said contact plates, signcards carrying electrically operated mechanism and contact plates onsaid cards adapted to be placed in contact with the first named plates,said circuit wires leading to controlling means adapted to be actuatedby the acceleration or retardation of the car.

RICHARD J. .SCHUHMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

